RIDDEN AND REVIEWED LIV LANGMA ADVANCED PRO O £6,499

Liv's latest Langma provides a near-perfect mix of price and performance

- Hannah Bussey

When the latest Liv Langma debuted in mid-June, I recognised it would become one of the most attractive bikes in the pro peloton. It was ridden by the Liv Alula Jayco team at the Giro d'Italia Women, with a handful of top-10 finishes by Mavi Garcia helping to secure the overall team victory.

It's time to take a deep dive into the climbing bike's DNA - how it's made, and, most importantly, how it rides.

CONSTRUCTION

The third generation of the Liv Langma - first released in 2017 - mirrors many of the construction techniques and materials from the latest Giant TCR. There have been no changes to the racing geometry and the small Liv Langma Advanced Pro O used in this review has a 524mm top tube length, 377mm reach, 532mm stack, 72° head angle, 977mm wheelbase, and 405mm chainstays.

The same geometry, however, does not mean the same bike. A move to a monocoque frame layup and the use of upgraded raw carbon and resin not only reduces weight but improves stiffness too. Additionally, there's an increase in impact resistance over the previous Liv Langma models.

The brand's stated weight for this model is 1,600 grams, just 150 grams more than 2021's range-topping model, demonstrating just how improved the new process is.

There are some aerodynamic improvements, too. Re-engineered tubing profiles, with airfoil sections on the down tube, seatpost and fork, contribute to reduced drag across a wider range of angles, compared to traditional teardrop-shaped frames.

Sadly, only the range-topping Langma Advanced SL made it into the wind tunnel, according to Liv Global marketing manager, Jen Audia, but they did confirm "the Langma Advanced Pro and Langma Advanced frames received the same tube shape refinements, with the exception of the integrated seatpost design (ISP)".